A Bangladeshi businessman named Maruf Bepari from Shariatpur has been shot dead by terrorists in South Africa. Relatives claimed that he was murdered after refusing to pay extortion money demanded by a local gang.
The victim's family was informed of the tragedy on Thursday morning (October 22). Earlier, on Wednesday night (October 21) at around 10:00 PM, Maruf was shot inside his business establishment in the Worcester area of Cape Town, South Africa.
The deceased, Maruf Bepari (45), was a resident of West Sidya area under Ward No. 4 of Sidya Union in Damudya upazila. He was the son of the late Abdus Sobhan Bepari and a father of three. As news of his tragic demise reached his village, a heavy shadow of grief descended upon his family and relatives.
According to local sources and family members, Maruf migrated to South Africa in search of a livelihood and had been running a business there for over 14 years. A local criminal gang had been demanding 500 South African Rand per month from him under the guise of security fees to operate his store in the Worcester area. Recently, a dispute arose between Maruf and the criminals regarding the extortion money. Local expatriates and family members alleged that he was shot dead as a result of this dispute.
His body is currently being kept in a hospital in South Africa. The grieving family members have urgently requested the government's assistance to bring his body back to Bangladesh as soon as possible.
Kamruzzaman Bepari, a relative of the deceased, lamented, "My uncle Maruf Bepari had to give his life on foreign soil because of extortion. Doesn't our embassy there look into these matters?" Reports of Bangladeshi expatriates being killed over extortion disputes in South Africa are heard frequently. To prevent such incidents, it is vital to ensure the security of expatriates and bring those involved in these killings to justice.
He added, "Our biggest request right now is to bring Maruf's body back to the country quickly so we can see him one last time. We appeal for government support in this regard."
— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by Shariatpur Correspondent, Shariatpur, District Correspondent • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
